FR2646136A1 - AUTONOMOUS LOADING AND LANDING APPARATUS, INTEGRATED IN AN AIRCRAFT - Google Patents

Abstract

This device for aircraft of the type comprising a ball plate intended to receive the loads in line with a side door, comprises a collapsible raceway 1, means 6 for moving the raceway transversely to the hold in synchronism with the opening of the door 5, from a first folded storage position 32 in the hold to the right of said door, in a second folded position 32 ', entirely external, in which it is articulated by one end on the threshold of the door 5 , and conversely, the ball plate 12 being movable and comprising guide means 18 in which said raceway slides, means 9, 10, 34 for lowering and raising the raceway 1 in its second position 32 ', and traction means 39, 40 connected to the ball plate.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for loading

  goods in an aircraft comprising

a side door.

  Goods transported by aircraft are usually packaged in pallets or containers, and loading operations require

  specialized lifting equipment suitable for gripping pa-

  lettes or containers and raise them to the height of the hold, means must then come into action to push or pull the load in the hold from

the lifting device.

  For the sake of simplification, we will use in

  following this description the general term of

  "load" to designate the material load of an aircraft

  nave, this term should be understood in its most meaningful sense

  large, regardless of the conditioning of this load.

  By its very nature, specialized equipment

  used at airports for loading and unloading

  loading aircraft is particularly expensive. In addition, some secondary airports, or countries on the way

  are not yet equipped with these devices.

  the same. There is therefore a need for hardware designed to be integrated into an aircraft and to also allow

  its loading as well as its unloading, without

  stop using specific external means.

  The object of the invention is therefore to provide an autonomous device, integrated into an aircraft, capable of alone loading and unloading the

  charges, on land lacking special means

his.

  It has for this purpose an automatic device

  name of embarkation and disembarkation of loads for aircraft of the type comprising rolling means extending longitudinally in the hold on either side of a ball plate intended to receive the loads at the right of a side door, characterized in that it comprises a foldable raceway,

  means for moving said transverse raceway

  dirty in the hold in synchronism with the opening of the door, from a first folded position for storage inside the hold to the right of said door, in a second position, folded, entirely exterior, in which it is articulated by one end on the threshold of the door, and conversely, the ball plate being movable and comprising guide means in which said raceway slides, means for lowering and raising the raceway in its second position, and traction means connected to

ball tray.

  According to another characteristic of the invention

  tion, said raceway comprises two approximately equal parts articulated together end to end, the length of which corresponds to the width of the floor of the hold

to the right of said door.

  According to one embodiment, said parts of the raceway each consist of two parallel arms comprising rollers on

their faces facing each other.

  Advantageously, the guide means

  in which the raceway slides are

  formed by C section rails mounted laterally on the movable ball plate, receiving said rollers

  and thus maintaining the spacing of said arms.

  According to yet another characteristic of the in-

  vention, the means to move the raceway from its first to its second position in synchronism

  with the door opening, and vice versa, understand

  at least one rigid bar articulated by an end

  mite on the lower part of the door and by its ex-

  opposite end on said end of the track

  which is articulated on the doorstep in its

second position.

  Preferably, the lowering and lifting device comprises a winch inside the hold, suitable for unwinding and winding a cable connected to said raceway, in the vicinity of the articulation of

its two parts.

  Conveniently, the traction device of the

  ball tray is a cable winch.

  The following description, with reference to the

  sins appended by way of nonlimiting examples will make it possible to understand clearly how the invention can be put into practice.

  Figure 1 is a schematic view of the apparatus

  reil according to the invention, showing different positions

of the raceway.

  Figures 2 to 4 are schematic views il-

  polishing the operation of the device.

  Figure 5 is a partial plan view of the apparatus.

  Figure 6 is a partial sectional view followed

before line A-A in figure 5.

  Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the ball tray in the storage position, with the door

  in the closed position.

  Figure 8 is a partial view showing the ar-

  ticulation of the raceway on the threshold of the

  cargo door, in its second position.

  Figure 9 shows another possibility of use.

the device.

  Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a folding articulated raceway designated in

  as a whole by reference 1 and comprising two parts

  ties 2,3 hinged end to end around an axis 4.

2646136 -

  Referring to Figure 1, which shows the apparatus

  reil according to the invention deployed in the position of use

  tion, the part 2 is, in this position, articulated by its end opposite the axis 4 on the threshold of the door 5 and, by this same end, on one end of at least one rigid bar 6, the other east end

  hinged retainer releasable on the lower part

  door 5 of the hold by means which

  will be described in detail below.

  The ends of parts 2 and 3 are slightly bent in the vicinity of the axis of articulation 4, so that

  part 3 can be folded over part 2 parallel-

  Lement thereto as shown in broken lines at 8. A lifting cable 9 fixed on the part 2 of the raceway in the vicinity of the hinge pin 4 extends towards the door 5 from a winch 10, along the ceiling of the hold, passes around a pulley 34 above the door, and its end is connected to part 2 of the raceway, in the vicinity of

axis 4.

  When the two parts 2,3 of the road

  ment are folded one on the other and that the winch 10 is actuated, they are raised in the horizontal position shown in 32 ', and stopped

  in this position. Door 5 can then be re-

closed by tilting down.

  In this movement, the bars 6 pull the two parts 2,3 inwards, the part 2 sliding in guide means, which will be described below, transversely on the floor 7 of the hold to come into a position of storage inside it. It is understood of course that the length of each of the parts 2 and 3 is approximately equal to the

  width of the cargo floor to the right of the door.

  We will now refer to Figures 5 and 6

  to describe the particular details of the device.

  The hold of the aircraft comprises, in a known manner, rolling means 11 constituted by rows of rollers extending longitudinally to the fuselage and on which the loads are moved progressively

  of their reception on a ball tray which is

  tually attached to the right of the door between two sections

rolling means 11.

  According to the invention, the ball plate 12 is movable. For this purpose, as shown, there is provided on the floor 7 of the hold, to the right of the door, two parallel rows of rollers 13 rotatably mounted in

  rails 14 in gutters, and a middle rail 15 of sec-

  tion in U. The ball plate 12, meanwhile, comprises on the median axis of its lower face two rollers 16 mounted idly on vertical axes 17: it is understood that the rollers 16 are adapted to guide the plate 12

  in the rail 15 when it rolls on the rollers 13.

  In addition, the plate 12 comprises on two longitudinal sides of the guide rails 18 shown on a larger scale in Figure 6 and each having

  cross section and from top to bottom a first part

  tie 19 in the form of a C delimiting a lateral longitudinal slot 20, and a second part 21 in inverted U,

that is to say open down.

  Each of the two parts of the track 1 consists of two parallel rigid arms 22 having a length approximately equal to the width of the

  cargo floor at the door, and

  both each on the one hand on their faces opposite the ga-

  lets 23 rotatably mounted around horizontal axes 24, and on the other rollers 25 rotatably mounted around vertical axes 26 supported cantilevered by supports

  transverse 27 secured to the arms 22.

2646136 -

  The arrangement is such that the ball plate 12 can be carried on each of its sides on the arms 22 by the rollers 23 engaged in the upper part 19 of the rails 18, and guided by the rollers 25 engaged in the lower part 21. Thanks to this arrangement, when it is engaged between the arms 22, the plate 12 maintains

their spacing.

  By the way, the front and rear edges 28.29

  respectively of the plate 12 are chamfered, as re-

  presented in FIG. 7 in order to engage, in the storage position, on the one hand under a rim of a front stop member 30 and on the other hand under a rim of a stop member 31 mounted on the lower part of door 5,

  in the closed position thereof.

  Finally, the means for lowering and raising the raceway comprise in practice two cables 9 each fixed on an arm 22 in the vicinity of the axis 4

  in order to avoid any twisting of the assembly.

  We will now describe the operation of the ap-

  similar from its first folded position for storage in the hold of the aircraft, shown at 32 to

  Figure 1, in which part 3 of the road

  Lement is folded around the axis 4, over the

  part 2, and the door 5 is in the closed position.

  In this position the rollers 23 and 25 of the arms

  of part 2 of the raceway are respective-

  ment engaged in the parts 19, 21 of the lateral rails 18 of the ball plate 12 which rests on the rollers 13 and whose lower rollers 16 are engaged in the rail 15. The chamfered front edge 28 of the plate 12 is engaged

  under the edge of the front stop 30 which blocks it, tan-

  say that its chamfered rear edge 29 is engaged under the edge of the rear stop 31 secured to the door 5. The cables 9 are wound on a winch drum

  10, extend along the ceiling 33 of the hold as far as

  that at the upper edge of the door where they pass around the pulleys 34. The bars 6 connecting the end of the part 2 opposite the axis 4 to the lower part of the door 5 are practically aligned with the arms 22 of the parts 2 and 3 of the raceway. When opening the door 5 of the hold, the rear edge of the tray is released and the bars 6 pull

  with them the whole formed by the two parts of the che-

  min of rolling and the plate 12 disposed between the arms

  from part 2, to position 32 'shown

  shown in Figure 1, this assembly being held in this-

  position by the cables 9 of the winch 10, blocked, the ex-

  end of part 2 opposite the hinge pin 4

  being then stopped on the threshold of the door by the enga-

  gement of two lateral stops 35 integral with the arms 22 in two lateral stop members 36 (Figure 8). The winch 10 is then actuated to unwind the cables 9 until the opposite end of the part 2, carrying the axis 4, is at the height of a plate 37 of a vehicle transporting loads. We

  then manually deploys part 3 of the road

  1 until its end rests on the plate.

sheet 37.

  Advantageously, the end of the part 3 opposite the axis 4 can be provided with two members

  removable support 38 in the form of hooks mounted on the ex-

  free end of the arms of part 3 of the road

  slowly and advantageously each terminated by a roller

  in order to absorb the longitudinal displacements of the

  appears, the device then being in position I

shown in Figure 2.

  The winch 10 is then actuated to straighten the raceway by bringing part 3 in the extension of part 2 (position II in figure 3) and the plate 12 is allowed to descend to the edge of the plate 37 by retaining it by means of '' a cable 40, fixed on it

  and connected to the drum of a second winch 39.

  The winch 10 is again actuated by unwinding the cable 9 to bring the assembly back to position I in FIG. 2 in which the load can then be placed

  on the plate 12 as shown in phantom.

  The winch 10 is then again actuated to raise the raceway with its two parts in alignment in position II (FIG. 3) and the load is

  hoisted to the threshold of the door by means of the winch 39.

  The winch 10, again actuated, brings part 2 of the raceway into horizontal position III (FIG. 4) and the load is brought on board on the plate 12 leaving the arms 22 of part 2 and rolling on the rollers 13, guided in the rail 15 by its rollers 16. The load can then be moved forward or backward in the hold of the aircraft on the means of

bearing 11.

  The operations described above are carried out

  in the opposite direction to unload the loads.

  These boarding operations, like the landing operations, do not require any special installation

  in the field, no handling equipment; what characterizes

make an autonomous system.

  FIG. 9 shows another example of the use of the apparatus according to the invention, in

  which loads a load brought by means of a crane.

  In this case, when the entire folded raceway has come out with the plate 12 (position 32 'in Figure 1),

  it is lowered by means of the winch 10 until the end

  mite of the folded assembly, which includes the hinge pin 4, rests directly on the ground, and part 3 of the path

  bearing is then unfolded, flat, also on the ground.

  The rest of the operations are the same as above.

Claims (9)

  1- Autonomous boarding and disembarking device   loads of aircraft of the type comprising rolling means extending longitudinally in the hold on either side of a ball plate intended for   receive loads to the right of a side door,   characterized in that it comprises a foldable raceway (1), means (6) for moving said raceway transversely to the hold in synchronism   O10 with the opening of the door (5), from a first posi-   folded up. (32) storage inside the hold   to the right of said door, in a second position   folded (32 '), entirely exterior, in which it is hinged by one end on the door sill   (5), and vice versa, the ball plate (12) being   bile and comprising guide means (18) in the   which slides said raceway, means   (9,10,34) to lower and raise the track   ment (1) in its second position (32 '), and means   of traction (39.40) connected to the ball plate.   2- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said raceway comprises two approximately equal parts (2,3), articulated together end to end around an axis (4), the length of which corresponds to the width from the floor (7) of the hold to the right of said door.   3- Apparatus according to claim 2, character-   laughed in that said parts of the raceway (1) each consist of two parallel arms rigid (22).   4- Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized   in that the arms (22) comprise rollers   ment (23) mounted on axes (24) perpendicular to the facing faces of said arms (22) and rollers (25) mounted on axes parallel to said facing faces arms.   - Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for guiding the plate consist of rails (18) mounted laterally on the ball plate (12) and each comprising a first   C section section open to the outside and suitable for   tee to cooperate with the rollers (23) and a second part of U-shaped section adapted to cooperate with the rollers (25), thus maintaining the spacing of said arms (22).   6- Apparatus according to claim 1, character-   laughed in that the means for moving the raceway from its first position (32) to its second position (32 ') in synchronism with the opening of the   door (5), and vice versa, comprise at least one bar-   rigid re (6) articulated by one end on the lower part of the door (5) and by its opposite end   on said end of part (2) of the road   which is articulated on the threshold of the door in his second position.   7- Apparatus according to claim 1, charac-   characterized in that the means for lowering and raising the raceway (1) comprise a winch (10) at   inside the hold, suitable for unwinding and winding   ler a cable (9) passing around a pulley (34) located above the door (5) and connected to the part (2) of said   raceway, in the vicinity of the articulation axis- tion (4) of its two parts.   8- Apparatus according to claim 1, character-   risé in that the traction device of the ball plate (12) is a winch (39) comprising a cable (40) connected to the ball plate (12).   9- Apparatus according to any one of the res-   dications preceding, characterized in that it comprises two stop members (36) on the sides of the threshold of the door (5), adapted to cooperate with stops (35) projecting laterally on the end of the part ( 2) from   raceway which is opposite to the articulation axis tion (4).   - Apparatus according to claim 9, charac-   terrified in that it comprises, on the floor of the sou-   te, to the right of the door (5), two rows of rollers (13), on either side of a guide rail (15), and   extending transversely to the floor (7).   11- Apparatus according to claim 10, charac-   verified in that the ball plate (12) has a guide roller mounted on its lower surface and   adapted to cooperate with the guide rail (15).